Speed-regulating mechanism for spring motors



E. E. WILKINSON AND S. ARONSON.

SPEED REG'ULATING. MECHANISM FOR SPRING MOTORS. APRLICATION min. SEPTA, 1920.

1,402,9 5, Patented Jan. 10,1922,

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ELIVIER n. WILKINSON AND SAUL ARONSON, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, AssrsNons, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE sILnNr Moron conronarron, or BROOKLYN, NEW roan, a conronATIoN or New YORK.

SPEED-REGULATING MECHANISM FOR SPRING MOTOR-S.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 10., 1922.

Application filed. September 4, 1920. Serial No. 408,152.

To all to item it may concern Be it known that we Emma E. .Wmmm soN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, and SAUL AnoNsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of'llew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSpeed-Regulating hlechanism for Spring Motors, of which the following is a full. clear, and exact specification.

Our invention is an in'iprovenient in mechanism for regulating the speed of operation oi spring motors and finds special application in phonograph motors.

The objects and advantages of our invention will become evident "from a detailed description oi? the illust'ative embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a speed-regulating mechanism constructed in accordance with our invention, a portion of the top plate being broken away to expose the parts beneath;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow a;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view approximately on line 83 of Fig. 1; and

4; is a detached view in perspective of our improved brake lever.

As our invention is applicable to spring motors of various types and constructions, we have shown only a portion of a conventional "form of motor. The framework or casting A, which supports the, parts of the motor, is here shown secured to the under side of the supporting member or top board 1 of a phonograph cabinet 2. Thevertical shaft 3, which supports the turntable 4, is driven by the motor spring or springs in the usual manner. As the drivingconnections between the springs and the shaft 3 are well understood by those acquainted with these devices,'we have not deemed it necessary to show them, except that we have incidentally shown the worm-pinion 5 at the lower end of the shaft 3 in mesh with the worm gear 5 carried at the lower end of a shaft 7, which is driven fromone of the spring barrels contained in motors of this kind. The turntable shaft 3 is provided with a worm-gear 8, adapted to mesh with the worm 9011 the governor shaft 10, on which are mounted the centrifugal weights 11 and the brake disk 12. This is the usual construction of speed governors of this type, and as their operation is a matter of common knowledge among mechanics, nothing further need be said on this point.

The framework or casting A of the motor carries the pin or stud 13 on which is pivoted a bellcrank consisting of an arm or lever 14 having a depending extension 15. The form of this extension is best shown in Fig. l, where it will be seen that the extension is roughly circular, terminating in the upwardly projecting portion 16. The extension 15 is provided with a pair of aligned hearings in the form of small holes 17, in which is.

pivoted a yoke 18. This yoke is substan tially annular in form except that it has a break or opening 19, as shown in Fig. i. The yoke 18 is provided with a pair of small projections arranged to iit into the bearing holes 17 of the extension 15, whereby the yoke swings freely on the extension. The extension 15 is sufficiently resilient to permit the yoke 18 to be easily snapped into place and as readily removed when required. The yoke 18 is provided with a pair of friction pads 20, arranged to engage the side of the disk 12 which, as is usual in governor constructions of this kind, is slidableon and rotatable with governor shaft ltl.

The operation of the brakelever willbe clear from the foregoing, and may be briefly stated as follows: moved upwardly, the extension'lo and the yoke 18 move toward the right (as viewed in Fig. 3), and consequently the disk 12 is allowed to move toward the right under the centrifugal action of the weights 11, the

result being an increase of speed of the turntable shaft 3. vllhen the lever 14 is de pressed, the yoke 18 is moved toward the left (as viewed 111 Fig. 3) and carries with When the lover is wobbling movement of the disk. Also, since the extension is rigidly secured to the lever 14 and therefore moves in the arc of a circle, the pivotal'monnting of the yoke 18 is necessary to permit the pads 20 always to maintain a parallel position with respect to the disk 12, so that both pads bear evenly against the disk. This automatic adjustment of the pads eliminates the undesirable noises which have been found to occur in speed-controlling devices heretofore constructed. One of the indepensable features of a good spring motor is noiselessness of operation, and anything which tends to produce even a slight noise is objectionable; hence, the advantage of the automatically adjustable yoke 18. 7 1

The purpose of the opening or break 19 in the yoke 18 is to permit the brake lever to be attached in position and removed therefrom without disturbing the governor shaft 10, which passes substantially through the center of the yoke 18, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

Having thus described the construction and operation of the brake lever, we will now describe the connections for adjusting this lever by merely turning a finger piece at the top of the motor board, whereby the speed of the springmotor is quickly and accurately regulated. On one side of the casting A is supported a plate 21which,

' in this instance, consists of two parallelolfslot set portions so as to be accommodated on the particular form of casting shown. The precise configuration of the plate 21 is immaterial. The plate 21 is slidably supported on the casting by means of slots 22 which engage screws or pins 23 secured to the tension 29 of the slidable plate 21. The

other end of the link 27 is provided with an elongated slot 30 which has a row of teeth 31 on one side or edge thereof, as shown in Fig. 1. A rotatable pin 32, held in a sleeve '82, extends through the top board 1, and is at its lower end provided with teeth 33' which mesh with the teeth31 of the link The upper endof the pin 32 terminates in a knurled head .34, by which it is readily grasped by the fingers for moving in one direction or the other. A pointer 35 is conin Figs. 1 and 2, the speed of the motor is at itslowest. The pointer 35 indicates this by being at the slow end of the scale If the pin 32 is turned so as to bring the pointer 35 to the opposite or fast end of the scale. the motor will be running at its highest speed limit. In order to secure any inter.- mediate speed of the turntable shaft 3, the pin is turned one way or the other to bring the pointer 35 to the correspondingly marked division on the scale.

It will be seen from Fig 2, that the teeth casting Near its forward end the plate 21;

is provided with a slanting slot 24,v as best shown in Fig. 2. The free end 25 of the lever 14 extends into the slot 2- 1, Suitable spring means, such as coil-spring 26 on the stud 13, normally tends to throw the lever 1st upwardly, so that the tongue orestension .25 of this lever is always held against the upper edge of the slot 2 1-. It will be clear from Fig. 2, that when the plate 21 is shifted toward the left, the lever 1 1 rocks up "ardlv under the actionof the spring 26,

the extent of thisupward movement being governed by the degree of inclination of the or rather of the upper edge of. If we assume the plateQl to its-extreme left position, the shifting be at press the lever 1.4. In otherwords, the shifting ofthe plate 21 toward the right (as speed ofthe shaft 3. V l

A link 27 is pivoted at its inner end to a stud 28 which passes through the lateral exthere;

ofthe plate toward the right will gradually deent machines.

331m the pin 32 extend axially for a considerable distance. adjustment of the pin with respectto the link 27 without interfering with the operative connection between the teeth 33 and 31. This adjustability of the pin 32 is a desirable and advantageous feature, because it isa factthat the top hoards,or motor boards as they are usually called, in phonographs vary in thickness even in the same style or design of machine. @ne diilicul with speed-controlling mechanisms of prior construction has been that the finger pin which carries the pointer required a certain ad.-

justincnt withresp ct iothe connectionsun- This permits a vertical derneath the niotorbeard, so that when there vas a variation in the thicknessof the ma tor boards in the different machines, the predetermined vertical adjustment of the indicator pin would not apply to the differ As a result it was sary to adjust the pin for each machine separately, thcrel'iyrequiring extra time and exf"&1

pense in the assembling of the parts. diliicult-ies and objections are entirely clunnated-by the simple connections which we have. provided between the link 27 and the pin 82, for the latter may be vertically'adjusted withinall practical limits without disengaging the teeth 33 from.theteeth31.

. Furthermore, no special manipulation is 'reuired toconncct the pin32 with thel'ink 27. All that is necessary 18 simply to push that the untoothed portion of the pin forms a smooth bearing contact with the untoothed side of the slot in said link when the pin is turned, the teeth on said pin extending axially a sufficient distance to permit vertical adjustment of said pinwithout breaking operative connection with said. link, and speed-controllingmechanism controlled by said link.

6. In speed-controlling mechanism for spring motors, a framework or casting in which the motor is mounted, a plate slidably mounted on said frai'nework so as to have a horizontal movement in either direction, a. slanting or cam-shaped slot provided in said plate, a lever mounted on said frame work so as to move up and down, the free end of said lever engaging in said slot, whereby a horizontal movement of said plate produces a corresponding vertical movement of said lever, speed-controlling mechanism controlled by said lever, a vertical pin adapted to be turned by hand in either direcoion, and a member operatively connected at one end with said pin and at the other end with said plate for translat ing the rotary motion of the pin in either direction into a corresponding sliding movement of the plate.

7. In speed-controlling mechanism for spring motors, a framework or casting in which the motor is mounted, a plate slidably mounted on said framework so as to have a horizontal. movement in either direction, a slanting or cam-shaped slot provided in said plate, a lever mounted on said framework so as to move up and down, the free end of said lever engaging in said slot, whereby a horizontal movement of said plate produces a corresponding vertical movement of said lever, speed-controlling mechanism controlled by said lever, a ver tical pin adapted to be turned by hand in either direction and having,- teeth at its lower end, and a member connected at one end to said plate and at the other end hav- 111g; teeth in mesh with the teethon said pin, whereby the turning of the pin in either direction produces a corresponding sliding movement of the plate.

8.121 speed-controlling mechanism for spring motors, a governor shaft, a brake disk on said shaft, a pivoted lever provided with curved extension, a substantiallyring-shaped yoke pivoted in said e2:- tension and having friction pads arranged to engage the face of said disk, said shaft passing through said yoke, said yoke havinga break or opening in its annularpart to permit the ready insertion and removal of the yoke and lever into and from operative position without disturbing the gov ernor shaft, and means for controlling said lever.

9. In speed-controlling mechanism for spring motors, a governor shaft, a brake disk on said shaft, a pivoted bell-crank iever, one arm of said lever consisting of a laterally curved extension partially passing around said shaft, said extension being resilient and provided with a pair of bearings, a substantially ring-shaped yoke pivoted in said bearings and having. friction pads arranged to engage the face of said disk, said shaft passing through said yoke, said yoke having a break or opening in its annular part to permitthe ready insertion and'removal of the yoke and lever into and from operative position without disturbing the governor shaft, and means engaging the other arm of said lever to actuate the same and'move the yoke into the desired position relative to said disk.

10. In speed-controlling mechanism for spring meters, a supporting member beneath which the motor is secured, a manually operable vertically-extending toothed pin rotatably mounted in said supporting member, a link carried by said motor framework and provided with a slot having teeth engaged by the teeth of said pin whereby rotation of said vertically-extending pin produces movement of said link and speed controlling mechanism controlled by movement of said link.

Signed at the cityv of New York, in the county of New York, State of New York, this3rd day of September, 1920.

ELMER E. WILKINSON. SAUL ARONSON.

the pin 32 downwardly and the teeth 33 will easily slide into engagement with the teeth 31.

I It will also be observed that the teeth 33 of the pin 32 do not extend entirely around the pin, but there is an untoothed portion 37, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This untoothed portion 37 forms a noiseless contact or hearing for the untootlied edge 38 of the slot 30, whereby the operation of the pin 32 and link 27 is rendered easy and noiseless.

Although we have set forth a specific form of mechanism, it is obvious that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. In speed-controlling mechanism for spring motors, a framework or casting in which the motoris mounted, a vertical turntable shaft adapted to be driven by the motor spring, a governor for controlling the speed of said shaft, said governor including a brake on the governor shaft, a lever pivoted on said framework so as to move up and down, a yoke carried by said lever and having friction pads arranged to-engage the face of said disk, a plate slidably mounted on said framework so as to have a horizontal movement, said plate being provided with a slanting or cam-shaped slot, the free end of said lever projecting through said slot, whereby the horizontal shifting of said plate effects a vertical rocking of said lever and a corresponding 'movement of the blrake yoke, a horizontally shiftable link connected at one end to said plate and having an elongated slot at the other end, one side of said slot being provided with teeth, a vertical rotatable pin having teeth on its lower portion adapted to engage the teeth of said slotted link, whereby a rotary movement of said pin in. either direction causes a corresponding sliding movement of. said link I and said plate, the teeth on said pin extendaxially a sufiicient distance to permit vertical adjustment of said pin without breaking operative connection with said link, and means for manually turning said pin in either direction.

' 2. In speed-controlling mechanism for spring motors, .a top board beneath which the motor framework issecured, a vertical pin rotatably mounted on said board and extending therethrough, means for turning said pin by hand. in either direction, teeth provided in the lower portion of said pin, a horizontally V movable link carried by the framework, one end of said link hav ing an elongated slot provided on one side with teeth, the lower portion of said pin projecting through said slot, so that the teeth of said pin mesh with the teeth of said lisk slidably mounted link, whereby a rotary movement of the pin in either direction produces .a corresponding slidable movement of the link, and speedcontrolling mechanism controlled by said link.

' 3. In speed -icontrolling mechanism for spring motors, a top board beneath which the motor framework is secured, a vertical pin rotatably mounted on said board and e tending therethrough, means for turning said pin by hand in either direction, teeth provided on the lower portion of said pin, a horizontally movable link carried by the framework, one end of said link having an elongated slot provided on .one side with teeth, the lower portion of said pin projecting through said slot, so that the teeth of said pin mesh with the teethof said link, whereby a rotary movement of the pinin either direc tion produces a corresponding slidable movement of the link, the teeth on said pin extending only partway around, so that the untoothed portion of the pin forms a smooth bearing contact with the untoot-hed side of the slot in said link when the pin is turned,

and speed-controlling mechanism controlled by said link.

4:. In speed-controlling mechanism for spring motors, a top board beneath which the motor framework is secured, a vertical pin rotatably mounted on said board and extendingtherethrough, means for turning said pin by hanc. in either direction, teeth provided on the lower portion of said pin, a horizontally movable link carried by' the framework, one end of said link having an elongated slot provided on one side with tee h, the lower por ion of said pin projecting through said slot, so that the teeth of said pin mesh with the teeth of said link, whereby a rotary movement of the pin in either direction produces a corresponding slidable movement of the link, the teeth on said pin extending axially a'sufiicient dis tance to permit vertical adjustment of saidpin without breaking operative connection w th said link, and speed-controlling mechanism controlled bysaid link.

5. In speed-controlling mechanism for spring motors, a top board beneath which the motor framework is secured, a vertical 'pin rotatably mounted on said board and extending theretlirough, means for turning said pm by hand in either direction, teeth provided in the lower portion of said piiL a horizontally movable link carried by the framework, one end of said link having an elongated slot provided onone side with teeth, the lowerportion of said pin proiecting through said slot, so that the teeth of said pin mesh with the teeth of said link,

whereby a rotary movement of the pin in either direction produces a correspondinn u slidable movement of the link, the teeth on said pin extending only partway around. so 

